


Life is More Than Strange

by ArmyofMew



Series: Miles Between [1]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-07
Updated: 2016-09-07
Packaged: 2018-08-13 10:43:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7973893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArmyofMew/pseuds/ArmyofMew
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ryan is pretty happy in college even if he is one of the few matchless people on the face of the planet. That is until he starts to present his soulmsoulmark while at work. Now he has to worry about his young soulmate on the other side of the country.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Life is More Than Strange

Ryan’s hair was stuck to his forehead with sweat and he was ready to just get home and sleep. However, being the great friend he was he had signed up for a night of dealing with drunk people. 

As he drove he occasionally glanced down at the small, black marks that signaled the beginnings of a presenting soul mark. He was two years late to present and he was beyond relieved that it finally happened. There were billions of people all over the world who spent their lives matchless. He had started to lose hope when he turned twenty three in all honesty, but when he saw the little black specs he felt a cold wave of relief wash over him. It was like he could finally let out a breath he had been holding for the past two years. 

Now he was on his way back home to shower and occupy his thoughts for a little bit. He didn't want to dwell too much on his mark, the waiting would drive him crazy for sure. He could get some more of his school work done before Geoff would be out of his final class for the day and he would get dragged out to the rush week activities. 

Although he himself had no desire to join a fraternity that didn't stop his friend from pursuing the “genuine” college experience. Geoff may have lives lived for adventure but at least he was smart about it. He would party and drink but he knew his limits and always seemed to be in charge of the situation. 

Finally making the turn into his parking space at the dorms, Ryan unbuckled his seatbelt and killed the engine in his car. Getting to his feet and slamming the door shut behind him, Ryan started for the sweet promise of shade and air conditioning. He had to practically jog to catch the door, someone had seen him coming and decided to hold it even though he was an awkward distance away. 

He muttered a thanks as he passed the girl who had held the door. She shot him a smile and brushed out passed him, heading out into the unforgiving sunlight. He sighed with the cool embrace of air conditioning and pressed the call button for the elevator. While he waited he bounced a little on the balls of his feet. Until a large, warm hand clapped him on the shoulder. 

“Hey roomie.” Jack grinned over at him, he was looking a little warm himself, sweat had stuck a few strands of his hair to his forehead. “Work as brutal as usual?” 

Ryan shot him a wry smile and stepped into the elevator leaning his back against the cool metal wall. Jack was one of his two roommates and the youngest of the three. He was a great guy and would be his lifeline through the week. 

“Worse. There's zero breeze and this customer's lawn is eighty percent rock.” He sighed. He really wished he went for a job with air conditioning. The elevator stopped on the second floor and two other guys climbed into the elevator. Jack scooted a little closer to give the new arrivals room, there was a silent nod of acknowledgement. The doors hissed shut and headed up once more. 

Once the doors slid open on the third floor Jack and Ryan slipped out, heading towards the end of the hallway. They walked in companionable silence back to the dorm room, mostly because Ryan was physically wiped out and talking was just going to expend energy he didn't have. When they reached their room, Jack slipped his keys out of his pocket, unlocked the door, and nudged it open, gesturing for Ryan to step in with a grin. 

The room was a bit small for three grown men but, Ryan had work most days and Geoff was out just as often. It was rare that all three of them were home at once. Stepping carefully over the scattered projects and piles of crap they had yet to clean up from the week, Ryan made his way to the bedroom. 

He grabbed a change of clothes from the clean pile on his bed. It was more of a bench than a bed at the moment the boys were settling in for another semester, and Ryan was prone to falling asleep on his desk rather than the bed. With his clothes in arm he crossed the hallway to the bathroom and turned the lock. Starting up the shower he peeled off his sweat drenched clothing with a grimace. 

Twenty minutes later he emerged from the bathroom in clean, dry clothes and in a much better mood. He took his work clothes back to the dirty laundry heap in the bedroom and dropped them unceremoniously on the pile and returned to the living area. He suppressed a yawn and stretched, scratching the beginning stubble of his beard. He really wanted to call a rain check on the evening but he knew he couldn't leave Jack hanging like that. 

“Woah. Is that what I think it is?” Jack's eyes had landed on his outstretched left arm when Ryan had stretched. 

Ryan’s gaze flickered to the small black specs on his wrist and couldn't help but smile. Jack had gotten his match right on time on his twenty first birthday. He was better than some guys he knew when it came to presenting. It was a less than ten percent chance to wind up matchless so the vast majority of the population tended to look down on the matchless. 

“Yeah it started showing up at work today. Made me drop my water it was hurting so bad.” Ryan grimaced at the memory of the white hot stabbing he experienced earlier today. “But it's exciting right?” He grinned looking back to his friend's face.

“Hell yeah it is, that's great Rye.” Jack grinned back clapping him on the shoulder. “I'd suggest we go celebrate if we weren't already partying tonight.” He laughed returning to his spot at the kitchen counter. 

Silence settled once again, as Jack returned to whatever school work he had immersed himself in while Ryan had been occupied. Ryan returned to the bedroom and sighed looking at the pile of his belongings he had yet to put away. Deciding to start getting settled in and freeing up an actual bed for himself. Not even a full ten minutes into his task the pain in his wrist returned in a flash of white hot pain. 

Ryan swore loudly and clutched his still stinging wrist. Jack appeared in the doorway eyebrows knit in concern. 

“You okay Ryan?” He asked taking a cautious step forward.

“Yeah my mark started hurting again, not as bad as last time.” He hissed through still clenched teeth. He released his arm and glanced at his mark, his eyes widened at how much it had changed. What had been a few specks of black was now forming a vague outline of the letter R. 

“Hey that's a hell of a good start. Mine took weeks to get that far.” Ryan jumped a little, forgetting Jack's presence in the room. 

“Do me a favor. Don't mention this to Geoff. He doesn't need the reminder alright?” Jack added his expression a little pained. 

“Yeah I understand that. I'll keep my mouth shut about my presenting.” Ryan sighed as he went back to cleaning up his portion of the room. 

Geoff still hadn't gotten his match, and though he didn't care in general it was clear it weighed on him every once in awhile. It was a sore topic for most unmatched people, being in the vast minority of any population was never a great feeling. Ryan knew what it was like to feel left out, he had leaned on his friend when the topic had come up. Now though, Geoff was going to be alone in this. 

Hours passed as the sun started to disappear behind the horizon. Jack and Ryan had both settled in front of the TV watching reruns of old sitcoms. On the table in front of them was what remained of a pizza, greasy food was good for fighting off the effects of alcohol. Although it wasn't exactly like the boys needed an excuse to order pizza, it just felt better having one. 

As the end credits of the show faded out to a commercial break; the front door swung open and Geoff stepped over the threshold. He looked tired, as usual, and a little out of breath. He waved in greeting when his roommates looked up and hurried off to the bathroom. 

The younger two went back to their mindless program and settled back into the old couch. Soon after they heard the door swing shut the shower started up once again. Fifteen minutes later Geoff was stepping back into the living room in a clean shirt and jeans.

“We tried to save you some food.” Jack offered when Geoff flipped open the closed pizza box. 

“Do or do not there is no try fuckers.” He replied as he threw the empty box into the trash pile by the door. 

“I'm fucking starving over here.” He grumbled and moved into the kitchen to rummage through the fridge. 

Geoff straightened up and slammed the door shut, emerging with leftovers from the last time they ordered Chinese. Ryan scooted over to make room for him to sit as Geoff came back into his line of sight. 

The couch was not made for three people but after a few years of living together personal space had long since gone out the window. Ryan placed his arms along the back of the couch to free up a little space and they watched the rest of the episode in silence. 

Geoff ,eventually, pried himself away from the couch and tossed his trash in the garbage bag. Ryan and Jack got to their feet as well and stretched the stiffness out of their backs. Geoff grabbed the trash by the door and grabbed his keys from the counter. 

“You guys ready to go?” He asked raising an eyebrow at the other two standing awkwardly behind him.

“Yeah parties and drinking. My favorites” Ryan grumbled. 

“Hey I'll be your sober buddy Rye. No worries.” Ryan smiled and followed as Geoff out into the hall.

“Thanks Jack. You've always been my favorite roommate.”

Jack laughed “Besides it's going to take both of us to keep Geoff in line even without the booze.”

They made a quick detour to throw the trash down the shoot before heading back to the elevators. Geoff was bouncing on the balls of his feet like he was a little kid again. Normally it wouldn't have been an issue but when the elevator was this old it caused the car to shake, which was sort of terrifying. 

When They reached the ground floor it came as a massive relief. The metal doors swung open with a soft hiss and piled out into the lobby. Geoff lead them out into the night air which felt a hundred times better than it had during the day. Sadly the cooler weather also brought a return of the insects who had also found the day unbearably hot. 

The sidewalks were packed with other students heading to different rush week parties. As the trio walked they made small talk about their days and how classes were going. It was easy, like it had always been with them. Nobody had to try to fit in or play a role. Ultimately Ryan thought he was pretty damn lucky to have these guys as his roommates. 

“So Rye.” Geoff called over his shoulder about halfway to their destination

“What's up?”

“Was work brutal today? That heat was intense.”

“Eh. It wasn't any worse than any other day this week. At least there was some shade by the time I got out there.”

When they finally got to the party was when the mood shifted. Geoff’s energy level skyrocketed while Ryan could just feel his feet starting to drag the closer and closer he got to the building. 

Jack sighed beside him as the music got louder. He shot Ryan a dry grin that more or less said let's just get this over with. They marched up the front steps Geoff in the lead, bouncing excitedly as they crossed the threshold. Then Ryan blinked and he was gone, disappearing into the crowd. 

Ryan turned to Jack who just kind of shrugged helplessly. His mouth moved like he said something but Ryan couldn't make it out over the music and chatter of the crowd. This was pretty much everything he hated in one confined area. He must have looked lost because Jack leaned forward and yelled into his ear

“Look for the drinks. He'll probably be there. I'll try to stay right behind you.”

Ryan nodded and started making his way through the throngs of people and made his way to the back where the kitchen seemed to be. He glanced over his shoulder but it looked like Jack had lost him somewhere in the crowd.

Finally he was able to make his way back to the kitchen and spotted Geoff,beer in hand, talking to some guy he had never seen before. He made his way over, there were fewer people back here but it still wasn’t a clear path to his friend. As he approached the conversation started to turn into an argument he couldn't make out what was being said yet but the sudden shift in body language was a pretty big tip off.  
Ryan got another five feet forward before a third guys stepped between them and shoved the pair apart. Geoff glowered and turned on his heel and almost shoulder checked Ryan on his way past. 

“Easy.” Ryan grabbed him mostly for balance but also to stop his friend from storming off without him.

“Sorry.” Geoff muttered 

He glanced back at the other two guys and his scowl deepened. He grabbed Ryan by the arm and dragged him back through the crowd and back out to the front walk. 

“Tatted up pricks think they're so much fucking better than me. It's fucking bullshit. Ink or no ink doesn't make a goddamn difference in the end.” He was raving at nobody in particular, of goddamn bullshit.” 

“Geoff.” 

“Don't tell me to fucking calm down Ryan. I'm sick of this shit.” 

“Will you at least breath? I don’t think you’re supposed to be that shade of red.”

Geoff inhaled and stopped pacing for a second. Staring at Ryan, scowling but he seemed to be calming down slowly. 

“I hate that people even give a shit about the matchless. It's none of their damn business if I got a mark or not.”

“No it's not”

“Everything was fine until he saw my wrist and suddenly shit hits the fan. It's all bullshit.”

“It is bullshit but you don't have to feed into it.”

“I don't get how you can be so calm about this shit. How come it always rolls right off you? Doesn't it piss you off?”

“Of course ot pisses me off but I just don't let the assholes get to me. If I lose my cool then they get their way.”

Yeah it was a bit cliche but in all honesty any asshole who gives someone shit for something so superficial was just looking for that reaction. Geoff was visibly calming down the longer they stood there and Ryan could feel his own tension start to ease out of his shoulders.

“Sorry.”

“It's alright.”

“I normally don't care. This guy just got to me.”

“Hey we all have our lapses of judgment. To err is human and all that.”

“There you go with the fucking college vocabulary again. You know we're at a party right?”

Ryan laughed and shook his head at his friend. Geoff was the most emotionally charged person he had ever met. Sometimes it just came up and slapped you in the face. Geoff was trying pretty hard to look exasperated but Ryan could tell he was trying not to smile. 

“A party that you dragged me to and almost got into a fight at, not five minutes after getting through the door.”

“Hey, give me a little credit it was at least ten minutes. And besides I was defending your honor.”

“Was my honor in need of defending?” He raised an eyebrow quizzically.

“That guy had a class with you last semester and remembered I was your roommate. Talking shit about you and me both not matching and implying shit.”

“Oh.”

It wasn't an uncommon rumor, two unmatched friends hooking up to fill the gap. And it wasn't considered a big deal by most people's standards. Still it was a little awkward to think about hooking up with any of his friends.

“Yeah that's why I lost my cool. Sorry.”

“Hey. You were sticking up for me nothing wrong with that. Thanks Geoff.”

“Anytime”

They wound up sitting out on the porch and Ryan became his friend's beer bitch. Every once in awhile Ryan would brave the crowds to grab his buddy a new beer.  
“Hey.”

An unfamiliar face appeared at his shoulder on his fifth trip back inside. 

“Uh, hi?”

Ryan offered awkwardly turning to face him. 

“You're one of those unmatched kids right?”

He honestly didn't know how to respond to that anymore, and the guy was clearly drunk off his ass. He didn't give him time to respond, however.

“It's cool I dont have mine either.” the guy flashed him a blank wrist and a smile. 

“So anyways I was thinking we could have a beer or two and ya know talk.”

Great. This was exactly why he hated parties drunk, lonely, matchless assholes like this guy. 

“I'm actually here with someone and I have to get back to them so.”

He didn't get very far before the guy caught his shoulder again. 

“How come everytime I've seen you you're alone then?”

Ryan was about to answer and duck out of there but he was saved by the arrival of a, slightly tipsy Geoff at his shoulder.

“You were taking forever. I missed my beer and your company outside.”

“Sorry. I got held up.” Ryan shot him an apologetic grin. 

Meanwhile across the room Jack was trying to fight his way over to Ryan and Geoff. He had lost them both and had spent the last thirty minutes trying to find at least one of them. But, every time he had seen a glimpse of Ryan he had lost him again almost instantly. 

Now some guy had him caught over by the doorway leading outside. Jack pushed his way through the crowd and was almost there when Geoff arrived to the rescue him. Jack stood just behind the third guy, who was going largely ignored at this point, and stopped in his tracks. Geoff had said something to Ryan which made the younger of the two laugh, Geoff froze, looked him in the eye and kissed him. 

Ryan froze. That was totally unexpected and his brain seemed to be in the processes of rebooting. He barely even heard him speak as he was tugged out of the door.

“Sorry about that. It was all I could come up with. Let's get you out of here.”

And with that Geoff tugged him back outside into the cool night air.


End file.
